


Chilled and Thawed

by radkoko



Series: Winter Bingo 2020 [9]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Cold Weather, Discord: Umino Hours, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Pre-Relationship, Umino Hours Winter Bingo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-17 15:34:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28976715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/radkoko/pseuds/radkoko
Summary: Iruka hurts himself while out gathering information. He's reluctant for Kakashi's help after his icy demeanor during their mission, but eventually their relationship beings to thaw into a tentative friendship.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka
Series: Winter Bingo 2020 [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2059926
Comments: 3
Kudos: 58
Collections: The Umino Hours Winter Bingo 2020





	Chilled and Thawed

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Frostbite

It was freezing. 

Iruka wasn’t sure how he’d managed to get talked into this mission…

He hated the cold, he hated the snow, and yet somehow he was out here in both having to sit still for hours to listen to the crowds in hopes of catching the information that they needed. It was only a team of two, and his partner was on the other side of the town doing the same thing he was.

Iruka did his best to listen in on the conversations echoing around him, but as the sun began to set his mind started to wander making it harder to pay attention. He sat until he felt his fingers start to go numb, and then continued to sit because he couldn’t do anything until he got that information.

“...seal”

The word passed in one ear and got caught by his brain before it passed back out the other. That was the word he’d been looking for. Iruka focused his hearing into the conversation that he needed and started mentally taking notes on what they were saying. It was impossible to take notes right now since he’d certainly catch someone’s attention, but if he cataloged the information he’d be able to get it all down on paper as soon as he was back at camp.

Once the conversation had ended, Iruka sent a chakra ping to his partner through a temporary tattoo on his wrist. He would continue to sit where he was for at least another hour to make sure that the coast was clear before he moved. If anyone noticed him after that, then at least he wouldn’t be seen in connection to the conversation that had just happened.

After at least an hour had passed, he dusted the snow off himself and made his way back to the cave where they’d made camp the night before. Iruka put his hand up to the invisible barrier and let loose a little chakra for it to recognize him. They’d both agreed to masking their chakra all day, but the barrier required one of their two chakra signatures to open it.

With a deep breath Iruka ran his hand along it again before walking through feeling the sizzle of the chakra as he made his way inside.

The smoke was pungent, but the warmth inside was worth it. The barrier not only helped keep them safe, but kept the signs of their camp hidden from the outside. Unfortunately that meant that the smoke didn’t vent outside as easily as it might normally.

Iruka walked deeper into the cave, the light glow getting stronger until he walked up to see Kakashi stoking the fire.

“You’re late.”

It was brusque, but nothing he wasn’t used to by this point. Honestly their entire mission had been similar. Kakashi had done everything short of telling Iruka that he was worthless.

Iruka wanted nothing more than to curl up by the fire and warm himself, but there was still the matter of writing down the specifics of their mission before he forgot anything important. As he started searching through his bag, Iruka realized that his fingers were still fairly numb and it was making it difficult to grab anything, still he worked twice as hard to make sure that Kakashi didn’t notice and wouldn’t think less of him once again.

Pulling out the ink, Iruka found it had frozen solid between the nights out in the cold and being left in the cave without any warmth all day. He forced himself to grab it, ignoring the pain and put it down next to the fire for it to soften up so he could get to work.

Before Iruka could pull his hand away Kakashi grabbed it and started to flip it back and forth to examine his fingers.

“What?” Iruka didn’t want him looking and tried to pull his hand away.

“Idiot, your fingers-”

“Don’t call me an idiot!” Iruka yanked his hand away and tucked it in against his body, barely feeling the warmth in the appendages. He turned back towards his bag as if he was still searching for something, but could feel the eyes on his back.

“Iruka…” He hated the sympathy that ached in Kakashi’s voice.

Of course he’d been an idiot. He just didn’t need a reminder of how little Kakashi wanted to be on this mission with him.

“Please,” Kakashi whispered, almost pleading with him, “let me help.”

Iruka sighed and turned back towards Kakashi sitting himself down at the fire next to him.

“I was trying to stay hidden… the gloves… I-” Iruka felt defeated. He’d already felt like a fool to be on a mission with Kakashi of all people, but managing to hurt himself just embarrassed Iruka.

Kakashi was examining Iruka’s hands in the light of the fire, slowly warming them up near the flames. Iruka watched a glowing green chakra encased his fingers as he gradually started to get sensation back into them.

“You know, you can lose fingers to frostbite,” Kakashi chided Iruka.

Iruka was silent, he didn’t want to dignify it with a response.

Kakashi sighed, “Iruka, I’m not your enemy.”

“I-” Iruka didn’t know how to respond. Of course he knew that, but it didn’t mean that it didn’t hurt every time Kakashi pointed out his flaws. “I know…”

“Then why?” Kakashi continued to probe.

“Because I’m not good enough,” Iruka blurted out. He wanted to swallow the words back up, but they were already gone.

Kakashi raised his visible eyebrow, “Of course you’re good enough,” he countered, “Why else would I ask for you as my teammate?”

“You…” Iruka couldn’t process what he’d just heard, “What?”

He stared at Kakashi waiting for some kind of explanation, but it was silent for a long moment. It was only because he was staring that he noticed a tinge of pink at the edge of Kakashi’s mask.

“Iruka, you’re smart and I’m pretty sure you know the most about seals in the whole village. Why would I want anyone else here?”

Iruka didn’t even know how to respond to that, “but… you keep pointing out all the things I’m doing wrong.”

Kakashi shrugged, “Bad habits are hard to break,” he admitted, “Mistakes are what get people killed on some missions, and as the leader it was my job to point them out.” Iruka thought he could see the outline of a frown under Kakashi’s mask. “I’ve lost too many people… I might have also been using it as an excuse to keep my distance.”

Iruka shook his head. “Well that’s one way to avoid making friends.”

“And yet, I still somehow make them,” Kakashi said with a laugh.

Iruka smiled as he watched Kakashi continue to tend to his fingers. “Because you’re a good person.”

The silence between them lingered once again as Kakashi finished his work. “There. You should be all better now,” he said letting go of Iruka’s hands, “But next time, please remember to wear your gloves if you’ll be sitting out in the snow for hours.”

Iruka nodded before going back to gathering his materials and getting back to work once again. Soon they’d be back on their way home, and maybe it wouldn’t be as bad as the trip here.

**Author's Note:**

> *I put Canon-Typical Violence, but it's more Canon-Typical Injury


End file.
